Ear-engaging and lifting mechanism



June 3, 1969 R. A. HEISLER 3,447,501

EAR-ENGAGING AND LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 8, 1967 Sheet of 3 INVENTOR. Rama/v0 A. HE/SL El? A as/vr.

June 3, 1969 HElSLER 3,447,501

EAR-ENGAGING AND LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 8, 1967 Sheet 3 of s INVENTOR. RA YMO/VD .4. H5151 5/? GENT:

June 3, 1969 R. A. HEISLER EAR-ENGAGING AND LIFTING MECHANISM Sheet Filed Nov. 8, 1967 ECO;-

'INVENTOR Rama/v0 A. HE/SLER BY P5, 5 E 2 ab A GE/V T United States Patent US. Cl. 113--1 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In an apparatus for forming and attaching wire bails to eared containers, an ear-engaging and can-lifting mechanism is adapted to engage and lift the ears of a container to a predetermined position. The engaged and lifted ears are held in engaged position during the actuation of the bail-applying apparatus during which a wire bail is formed and inserted into each ear of the eared container. The ear-engaging and lifting mechanism includes a pair of movable ear-lifting arms which are cycled by the movement of the bail-forming and applying apparatus generally disclosed in my U.S. Patent 3,241,578 issued on Mar. 22, 1966.-

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The field of art to which this invention pertains is in the general class of Wire Working and more particularly to the subclass of applying wire in which subclass is generally found that apparatus adapted for the forming and applying of wire bails to eared containers. Also pertinent to this invention is the subclass of making bails under the general subclass of article making or forming.

Description of the prior art In my US. Patent 3,241,578 issued on Mar. 22, 1966, there is shown apparatus for forming and applying bails on eared containers, this apparatus includes means for orienting and stopping an eared container at a precise position within the apparatus so that a wire bail may be formed and inserted into the ears of an eared container.

As shown in the above-identified patent there is provided an orienting conveyor and an ear-detecting and sensing mechanism which is adapted to engage an ear of an advancing container as this container is moved forwardly on said conveyor. In response to the signal from this sensing device the bail-forming and applying apparatus is activated so that as the container is brought to a stop at the bail-inserting position in the bail-forming apparatus the ends of the bail are inserted into the ears of the container. The inaccuracies which are often found in the manufacture of eared containers provide problems in the high speed forming and inserting of the ends of the bails into the ears of these eared containers in that when the ear is misplaced beyond determined limits, malfunctions occur in the insertion of the ends of the bail into the ears. In particular, the lack of accurate positioning of cars on the container oftentimes causes the formed bail ends to improperly engage or even miss completely the aperture of the ear. The malfunction of the insertion of the bail into the ear of the container results in containers being discharged from the bail-applying apparatus which are incompletely bailed. When this occurs, the container is rejected by the operator or inspector and an operation to 3,447,501 Patented June 3, 1969 remove the hail from one or both of the ears of the container and to rebail the container often by means of a hand-applied bail is necessary.

In order to accommodate these inaccuracies of ear positioning the present invention as directed towards the apparatus of the above-identified patent provides a positive ear-engaging and lifting mechanism which engages each ear of the incoming container and lifts the ear and its container so that the ear is at a precise position which is in the way of the exit portion of the bail end-forming die of a bail-applying mechanism. All containers having ears positioned within determined limits are moved into the bail-applying apparatus so that each eared container is engaged by the ear-lifting mechanism and is brought into a precise position in the apparatus. By precisely positioning the ear of the container as it is lifted from the conveyor mechanism the inaccuracies of positioning of the ear on the container does not result in a malfunction of the ear-attaching apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides an ear-engaging and lifting mechanism adapted to automatically position the ear of an eared container at a predetermined location in the bailforming and applying mechanism. Each ear of an eared container is held in the lifted position during the inserting of the bail-end into the car. This invention contemplates the modification of portions of the bail-attaching mechanism as shown in my US. Patent 3,241,578 of Mar. 22, 1966. In the present invention the cover stop arms shown in said patent are modified to permit the use of new carengaging and ear-lifting arms to be more fully described hereinafter. Also modified are the bail-end curling dies which are now adapted to provide an upper precise shoulder or stop against which the ear of the container is moved for a precise positioning. In addition to these modifications there are provided a pair of ear-engaging and earlifting arms each of which are actuated by means of a cam mounted on and moved with the upper die shoe of the bail-applying mechanism. When an eared container having two cars is brought to the stop position in the bailapplying mechanism, the downward motion of the bailforming and bail-applying mechanism actuates the earpositioning and ear-lifting arms to bring each of the cars into a precise position in the bail-applying mechanism, whereupon the ends of the bail are inserted into said cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide an effective, positive and precise ear-engaging and lifting mechanism adapted to engage each of the ears of an eared container to lift these ears to a precise position in the way of bail end-curling dies and in so doing lift the container from a conveying means so that the inaccuracies of positioning of the car on the container are accommodated by precisely positioning the ears of the container in the bailapplying mechanism.

INTENT OF THE DISCLOSURE Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in the understanding of the invention, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of the patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these claims that meets the requirements of pointing out the parts, improvements or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of the ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as adapted for use with the modified bail-applying apparatus of my identified U.S. patent or with other eared-container handling ap paratus. The specific embodiment herein shown is contemplated for use with a bail-applying mechanism and the like and has been chosen for the purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents a fragmentary front view showing the bail-applying apparatus as modified or altered for and including the ear-engaging and lifting mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 2 represents in an enlarged scale an isometric and partly fragmentary view of the modified components of the bail-applying apparatus and showing in particular the ear-engaging and lifting mechanism of this invention;

FIG. 3 represents a fragmentary side view showing the ear-lifting arm in relation to a cover arm and a bailend forming die, the ear-lifting arm disposed in its up ward lift position;

FIG. 4 represents an end side view showing the relationship and construction of an end-forming die as modified to provide an upward stop for an ear of an eared container;

FIG. 5 represents in a smaller scale a somewhat diagrammatic side view of the conveyor and ear-lifting mechanism showing the limits within which the ear of the container may be attached to the container so that i the ear may enter the bail-applying apparatus; and

FIG. 6 represents in a somewhat enlarged scale a front view of a wire retaining finger and housing as modified for use in a bail-applying apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in which like numbers refer to like members throughout the several figures and in particular to FIG. 1 where is shown a fragmentary front view of the bail-applying mechanism as modified to incorporate the ear-lifting and positioning mechanism of this invention. As shown in this view, an upper shoe 10 carries thereon a pair of modified retractable fingers 12 and 14 which are adapted to cover the wire groove 16 during the movement of the wire into the bail-forming and inserting operation. The cover stop arms 18 and 20 are similar to the cover stop arms shown in the aboveidentified patent but are modified to permit a pair of earlifting and positioning arm supports 22 and 24 to be actuated. Assist blocks 26 and 28 are modified to engage the cover stop arms 18 and 20 while still permitting the cycle of movement of the ear-lifting arm supports 22 and 24. Conveyor 30 is a diagrammatic representation of the conveyor shown in the apparatus of the above-identified patent.

Referring next to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that upon main plate 32 the modified assist block 28 includes a portion which extends outwardly to provide a hinge support portion which is adapted to carry a shaft 34 upon which arm support 22 is pivotally mounted. On the inner portion of arm support 22 there is mounted a replaceable arm 36 having a distal end adapted to engage the ear of the container in a manner to be more fully described in conjunction with succeeding figures. The upper end of the pivoted arm support 22 carries a cam follower 38 disposed so as to engage the outer face of cam 40. The cam 40 extends outwardly from a base 42 which also provides a housing and guideway for the wire retaining retractable finger 12. It is to be noted that on the extending portion of cam 40 there may be mounted a replaceable and adjustable hardened cam plate 44 which cam plate is retained on portion 40 by means of a bolt and nut 45 and 46. A tension spring 48 is attached by its ends to block 28 and arm 22 so as to urge the cam follower 38 toward and against the cam 40. This spring insures that the cam follower 38 is always in engagement with the outer cam surface provided by the cam 40 and adjustable cam plate 44.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is to be noted that the replaceable arm 36 has its upper surface contoured to provide a lift-engaging surface 50 which is adapted to engage the determined diameter of an eat 52 to urge it (the ear) upwardly against an ear-stop shoulder 54 which is now provided in curling die 56. In the cover stop arm 18 there is also formed a recess providing a front engaging face 58 which precisely positions the forward stop position of the ear 52 during the insertion of the bail-end into the ear.

Referring next to FIG. 4, it is to be noted that the ear-stop abutment shoulder 54 of the die 56 provides an upper stop positioning means for the ear 52 of an eared container 60. As the ear 52 is lifted upwardly into the position shown in FIG. 3, the cam slope 50 urges the ear 52 forwardly against the stop face 58 and upwardly against the upper shoulder 54 so that the ear is precisely nested in a position whereby the aperture in the ear is in the way of the discharge end of groove 62 of the bailend forming die 56.

Referring next to FIG. 5, it is to be noted that successive eared containers a and 6017 are moved forwardly on the chain of conveyor 30 so as to be brought into engagement with the stop surfaces 58 of the cover stop arm 18. As shown in FIG. 5, the arm 36 is in the down or lower receiving position as effected by the moving of the cam follower 38 towards and to a determined stop position adjacent the main plate 32 as urged by spring 48. In this position the most upward end 64 of arm 36 is below a height indicated by the phantom line 66 which represents the plane of movement of the bottom most portion of the ear 52. This height is a position providing a lower limit insuring that the arm 36 does not engage the ear of an incoming container. In like manner, the phantom line 68 represents the plane of movement of the uppermost portion of the ear 52 which is a position providing an upper limit insuring that the ear passes underneath the shoulder 54 of curling die 56 as the ear moves to and against the front engaging face 58 of arm 18.

Referring finally to FIG. 6, it is to be noted that the base 42, which in this instance represents the right-hand member as seen in FIG. 1, carries and retains the finger 14. This finger, instead of being spring-biased downwardly as shown in the apparatus of the above-identified patent, is now slidably retained in a groove in base 42. A spring detent 70 extends inwardly to engage the finger 14 to provide means for retaining the finger 14 at any limit of movement as determined by means of pin 72 in slot 74. Attached to a block 76 (FIG. 2), carried by the main plate 32, is a stop spring 78 which is adapted to engage the pin 72 as the upper die shoe 10 is moved to its upper position.

USE AND OPERATION In operation the improvement to the bail-applying apparatus as provided by this invention includes the following: As the eared container 60 is moved forwardly by means of conveyor 30, the car 52 is brought in the way of the cover stop arms 18 and 20. Each arm has a front engaging face 58 precisely positioned to engage the forwardmost portion of the ear and retain the ear in a plane in fixed relation to the wire-forming end dies 56. For receiving the ears, the cover stop arms 18 and 20 are in the position as shown in FIG. 1 and the upper die shoe 10 is movable or moving downward to form the bail and move the ends of the bail toward the end-forming dies 56. With both ears of the container in engagement with the front engaging face 58, the upper die shoe is moved downwardly to bring the ends of the bail into the endforming dies 56 and as the cam follower 38 engages the cam 40, the cam follower 38 is moved outwardly. Arm support 22 carried on pivot shaft 34 rotates so that the distal end of arm 36 moves upwardly and forwardly so that engaging surface 50 engages the ear 52 and moves it to the position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The ear 52 as it is engaged and retained by the engaging face 58, the shoulder 54 of the end-forming curling die 56 and the engaging surface 50 of the arm 36 is held at three spaced points. The ear 52, thus held, is precisely positioned in front of the exit of groove 62 of the end-forming or curling die 56 so that the end of the bail, as it is curved, enters the precisely positioned ear 52.

With the upper die shoe 10 in the down position the finger 12 has engaged the top surface of the end-forming die 56 and is moved to an up position. As seen in FIG. 2 the pin 72 has been moved to the upper limit of the slot 74 to stop the upper movement of finger 12. After the insertion of the bail into the ear of the container, the die shoe 10 is moved to its upward position. The arm 36 is swung to its down position as seen in FIG. 5. The pin 72 as it is carried upwardly is brought in the way of the stop spring 78 to move the finger 12 downwardly to once again move in the way of the wire groove 16.

It is to be noted that the spring 48 insures that the arm 36 is in the down position as the eared container 60 is moved into position in the bail-applying apparatus. As the cover stop arms 18 and 20 are moved backwardly to release the eared container the arms 36 may be in any position during the release and discharge of the bailed container. It is to be noted in FIG. 1 that the arm supports 22 and 24 are contoured so that the eared container may be discharged from the apparatus through the space between these arm supports. The arm 36 is moved into its lower ear-receiving position when the upper die 10 has been moved to its upper position for the receiving and forming of a new bail. The arm 36 remains in this lower position until the cam 40 carried by the upper die shoe moves downwardly and into engagement with the cam follower 38.

The terms up, down, top, bottom, in, out, and similar terms are applicable to the ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and such terms are used merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to a position in which the apparatus may be con structed or used.

The conception of the ear-engaging and lifting mechanism and its application to eared container apparatus as above-described is not limited to the embodiment abovedescribed but departures therefrom may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.

What is claimed is:

1. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism adapted for use on bail-forming and applying apparatus and the like and in which apparatus eared containers are advanced in an oriented and spaced array to a determined stop position in the bail-applying apparatus, the engaging and lifting mechanism including: (a) means for transporting eared containers to and through a bail-applying apparatus; (b) movable means providing a front engaging face for stopping the forward progress of the eared containers by engaging the forwardmost portion of an ear of an eared container; (c) an abutment shoulder providing means for engaging and limiting the upward movement of the ear of a container as the ear is lifted; (d) a pair of lift arms having their distal ends movable from a lower ear-receiving position to an upward ear-lifted position, each lift arm disposed so that in the down position the ear of an eared container may pass the distal end of the lifting arm to engage the front engaging face, and as said arm is moved upwardly the end of the arm is adapted to engage the ear of the container to move the ear and container upwardly until the ear is precisely positioned and retained by the arm, the front engaging face of the movable means and the abutment shoulder, and (e) means for moving the ear lifting arm from the down position to the upward position.

2. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 1 in which the movable means providing the front engaging face is a generally vertical plane surface formed in a recess of a stop arm adapted to cover the face of a bailend forming die, and in its inward die-covering position, the front engaging face of the stop arm is adapted to receive and engage the ear of the advancing container, and when the stop arm is moved to its outward and dieuncovering position the ear is released for the transport of the container from the apparatus.

3. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 2 in which the abutment shoulder is formed in the bail-end forming die with the abutment shoulder adapted to engage and retain the uppermost outer surface of the ear.

4. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as claim 3 in which the lift arms are each pivotally retained by means fixedly attached to the bail-applying apparatus; a cam carried by a movable die-shoe of the bail-applying apparatus, and a cam-engaging means communicating with the lift arms, said cam-engaging means as it is engaged by and moved by the cam moving the lift arms to their determined limits of movement.

5. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 4 in which the lift arms are removable members, each lift arm attached to and carried by a positioning arm support pivotally retained on a fixed member attached to the bailapplying apparatus, and in which the cam-engaging means is a cam follower carried by the positioning arm support.

6. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 4 in which the lift arm has its upper surface contoured to provide a camming surface by which the lift arm as it engages the lower outer surface of the ear has its camming surface adapted to cam the ear forwardly and upwardly into a retaining precise position in the way of a discharge end of a bail-end forming groove in the endforming die of the bail-applying apparatus.

7. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 5 in which the means for transporting is a conveyor adapted to support an eared container on its bottom, the conveyor having a plurality of chains and the like providing a determined plane from which the eared container is lifted as the lift arms are moved to the upper limit of position.

8. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 5 in which there is provided a pair of retractable fingers carried by the upper die-shoe of the bail-applying mechanism, the fingers adapted to retain a wire cut by the bailapplying apparatus, the retractable fingers each engaged by a friction engaging means adapted to retain the finger at any position within determined guide limits, the finger adapted to engage the bail-end forming die block to move the finger to one limit of movement and in which there is provided a stop carried by the bail-applying apparatus and positioned so as to engage means on the finger to move the finger to the outer limit of movement.

9. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 8 in which the friction engaging means is a transversely disposed member slidably carried in a base member within which the retractable finger is reciprocably guided, the transversely disposed member biased so that it will engage a longitudinal extent of the retractable finger as the finger is moved.

10. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 5 in which the positioning arm supports are contoured to permit the passage therebetween of an eared and bailed container.

11. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 5 in which there is provided biasing means adapted to urge the cam follower of the positioning arm support into engagement of the cam surface of the cam.

12. An ear-engaging and lifting mechanism as in claim 11 in Which the cam carried by the upper die shoe is moved in timed relationship to the movement of the stop arms so that the eared container is lowered to the conveying means by the time the front engaging face is moved from engagement of the ears of the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1963 Simon 14093 3/1966 Heisler 14093 8/1968 Heisler 113- 1 U.S. Cl. X.R. 

